eBay settles $56M harassment suit with newsletter authors

The campaign began after the Steiners published critical coverage of the e-commerce giant. In response, high-level executives orchestrated a campaign of intimidation that escalated from online harassment to bizarre, threatening physical deliveries. Beyond the disturbing packages sent to their home, internal plans included stalking the couple with GPS trackers and even deploying a supposed gang to confront them.

This settlement marks the end of a 2021 civil suit. eBay is paying $46.15 million, while individual former executives—including former CEO Devin Wenig, who contributes $2 million—are covering additional portions of the total. Seven former employees, including the company’s former security chief James Baugh, previously pleaded guilty to criminal charges brought by the U.S. Department of Justice. Baugh received a sentence of nearly five years in prison for his role in the operation.

In a statement, eBay distanced itself from the actions of its former staff, labeling the conduct as reprehensible and inconsistent with company values. Christopher Murphy, an attorney for the Steiners, stated that the legal battle was never solely about the financial payout. The couple sought to expose the truth, protect the independence of publishers, and ensure that no other journalists face similar corporate retaliation.